My intention from the beginning was to purchase the Japanese organic Twig Tea, Kui-cha. Unfortunately, the House of Tea were completely sold out of Kui-cha, so I settled for the Houji-cha tea recommended by their manager. As expected, the Houjicha is earthy and nutty, but not quite as woody or sweet as one would expect of […]

Gyokuro Jade Dew is a fragrant Japanese green tea grown in the tea gardens of Uji, Kyoto, the birthplace of Japanese tea and tea master Sen No Rikyu’s tea ceremony. The Gyokuro tea plant is grown in partial shade during the spring, which contributes to its high chlorophyll content. Gyokuro is rich in amino acids, which gives the tea […]

Based in Philadelphia, Rikumo is a lifestyle brand that celebrates Japanese craftsmanship, design, and aesthetics. The concept store in Center City features an in-store library and tea bar in addition to the beautifully crafted collection of Japanese goods. It’s not an exaggeration when I say that I want everything in the store. From charcoal toothbrushes […]

Brick & Mortar, otherwise known as BAM, is a gastropub serving classic American fare, craft beer, and cocktails in the Callowhill/Center City area. The architecture and decor is cool, hip, or whatever the appropriate word is in this situation. (The windows could seriously use a cleaning though.) They have those unisex bathrooms with shared sinks that people seem […]

Instead of going out, we bought some fresh pasta and mushroom from Whole Foods to make Valentine’s dinner at home this year. We also cooked up some roasted brussel sprouts with bacon my favorite). It was a nice, quiet Valentine’s day without the hassle. This weekend was also my first time visiting the new Whole Foods […]

Monsu, a true gem in South Philadelphia. I don’t know why it took me so long to write about this little Sicilian BYOB brunch and dinner eatery. I don’t know why I never heard of it before innocently stumbling upon it last summer after returning from my trip. It was here that I had some of […]

In my first Postmates review, I expressed my dissatisfaction with the delivery guy who arrived on his bike carrying a cold, soggy pizza. I thought that would have been my last run with Postmates, This time around, I desperately wanted the Barbuzzo experience without the actual trip to the restaurant. I made the order with Postmates, sucked it up and paid the 3.99 service […]

Art for the Poor returns this 2015 on Saturday, June 13th and Sunday, June 14th. Art for the Poor is a yearly block party and sale that allows art aficionados the chance to acquire art work from over 100 established and up-and-coming artists. Collections include paintings, photographs, ceramics, jewelry, fashion and more. Enjoy artwork, live music and local […]

Postmates is basically Uber for food delivery. It is really similar to Cavier. Postmates will hire any “postmate” with a bike or car. I assume they must pass some less than stringent background check. The point is that anyone could be picking up your food and delivering it to you at your home. It does […]

Best Pho Bo (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) Pho 75 – Everyone seems to have their own suggestions about the best pho restaurant, but Pho 75 is definitely a local South Philadelphia favorite. It is not a fancy place and service is average at best, but the pho is rich and authentic. They are also cash only and serve only Pho. […]